1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to tubing products, and more specifically, to tubing for medical purposes, such as intravenous tubing, but it is not limited to that field.
2. Description of Related Art
In medical settings, patients often require the intravenous administration of medication and nutrients through the use of intravenous tubes (“IV tubes”). It is not uncommon for hospital patients to have more than one standard IV tube that administers an electrolyte solution, and each standard IV tube has injection ports to which secondary tubes can be connected in order to administer specific medications. All of these tubes are long and often get in the way of one another, causing entanglement and confusion as to which tube is which. The mess of tubing can become difficult to navigate and poses a risk to the patient if the tubes cannot be organized and identified in a time-sensitive situation.
Also, in some circumstances, the administration of additional medication is needed immediately. However because most IV tubes, including secondary tubes, have long lengths, the medication may not reach the patient as quickly as desired because of all of the tubing through which the medication has to travel before reaching the patient.
There are existing products whose aim is to organize and/or protect IV tubes. Some products simply bundle tubes together, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,759, and some simply clip tubes together at one point, but leave the rest of the long tubing straying around a patient (U.S. Publication No. 2004/0135039).
So as to reduce the complexity and length of the Detailed Specification, and to fully establish the state of the art in certain areas of technology, Applicant herein expressly incorporates by reference all of the following materials identified in each numbered paragraph below.
U.S. Publication No. 2004/0135039, Reichert, “Controlling and identifying system of holders for intravenous lines and other elongated members.” This reference describes a clip that couples multiple IV tubes together at one point.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,674, Simons, “Method and apparatus for organizing and identifying intravenous administration lines.” This reference describes a device which couples multiple IV tubes together and provides a place on the device to label each tube.
U.S. Publication No. 6,315,759, Peterson, “Protective cover for intravenous lines and other elongated members.” This reference describes a device that bundles multiple IV tubes together and also protects them from external forces because it is comprised of resilient material.
Applicant believes that the material incorporated above is “non-essential” in accordance with 37 CFR 1.57, because it is referred to for purposes of indicating the background of the invention or illustrating the state of the art. However, if the Examiner believes that any of the above-incorporated material constitutes “essential material” within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.57(c)(1)-(3), Applicant will amend the specification to expressly recite the essential material that is incorporated by reference as allowed by the applicable rules.